2026 UCI Women's World Tour
| Eleventh edition of the UCI Women's World Tour | |
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 17 January – 18 October 2026 |
| Location | |
| Races | 26 |
The 2026 UCI Women's World Tour is a competition with twenty-six road cycling events throughout the 2026 women's cycling season. The competition began with the Women's Tour Down Under from 17 to 19 January, and will finish with the Tour of Guangxi on 18 October. It is the eleventh edition of the UCI Women's World Tour – launched by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) in 2016.
Events
[edit]The initial race calendar for the 2026 season was announced in June 2025, with twenty-eight races initially scheduled.[1] The calendar was similar to 2025, with the elevation of Dwars door Vlaanderen from the UCI ProSeries, and the Giro d'Italia Women moving to June.[2] In October 2025, the calendar was confirmed, with the Simac Ladies Tour of Holland leaving the calendar so it can be held at the same time as the men's Tour of Holland, leaving twenty-seven races on the calendar.[3]
Both La Vuelta Femenina and the Giro d'Italia Women were scheduled to be a day longer, 8 days and 9 days in length respectively.[4] However, La Vuelta Femenina reverted to a seven-day itinerary when announced in March.[5] The Tour de Suisse Women and the Tour of Britain Women also add a day compared to 2025, with the five-day events to be held over the same number of days as their equivalent men's events, with the Tour of Britain Women to be held in August as opposed to June.[6][7]
In May, the Tour de Romandie Féminin was removed from the calendar due to a "shortfall" in sponsorship and other major events being held in the region, including the Grand Départ of the Tour de France Femmes.[8][9]
2026 UCI Women's WorldTeams
[edit]The fourteen Women's WorldTeams were automatically invited to compete in events.[11][12]
Changes for 2026
[edit]The UCI are awarding more ranking points to the week long stage races (Giro d'Italia Women, Tour de France Femmes and the Vuelta Femenina) and cycling monuments than other stage or one-day races in the Tour, thereby elevating those races in status.[13][14]
The participation allowance paid by race organisers paid to teams has increased by 20% to support travel costs, with organisers of stage races also required to pay for more hotel rooms per team.[2] Safety requirements for races has also increased, with standards regarding feed and waste, team vehicles on the course and checking for technological fraud.[15]
For the first time, WorldTeams are required to compete in the majority of World Tour races, with an obligation to compete in all three Grand Tours (La Vuelta Femenina, Giro d'Italia Women, Tour de France Femmes).[12]
References
[edit]- ↑ "The UCI approves the 2026 calendars for the UCI Women's WorldTour and UCI WorldTour, and takes measures to support the development of cycling". www.uci.org. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- 1 2 Mitchell, Mathew (12 June 2025). "UCI approves 2026 Women's WorldTour calendar and introduces key reforms for women's cycling -". Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ "The UCI takes important measures to protect rider safety and health, and approves 2026 UCI calendars for several disciplines". www.uci.org. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ "Calendar changes: 2026 UCI Women's calendar". www.procyclingstats.com. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ "La Vuelta Femenina 26 by Carrefour.es: Legendary Angliru to culminate a course designed for climbers". La Vuelta Femenina. Unipublic. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
- ↑ Shrubsall, James (26 September 2025). "Key Tour de France warm-up race reduced from eight to five days as it aims for sustainability and equality". Cycling Weekly. Future plc. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
In addition, the women's race will be boosted from four to the same five stages as the men – and, crucially, they will all start and finish in the same place.
- ↑ Becket, Adam (6 October 2025). "Tour of Britain Men and Women dates confirmed for 2026, both to be five-stage races". Cycling Weekly. Future plc. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ "Tour de Romandie Féminin cancelled for 2026, organizers aim for return in 2027". Escape Collective. 12 May 2026. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ↑ Weislo, Laura (12 May 2026). "Tour de Romandie organisers postpone Women's WorldTour race to 2027 to preserve 'financial stability'". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ↑ Price, Matilda (7 October 2025). "After years of absence, Herald Sun Tour dates confirmed for February as UCI announces 2026 calendar". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ↑ Price, Matilda (11 December 2025). "There will be only 14 Women's WorldTour teams in 2026 – is that a worrying sign for the women's peloton?". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- 1 2 Frattini, Kirsten (6 May 2023). "Women's WorldTour – The definitive guide for 2026". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 25 January 2026.
- ↑ Price, Matilda (20 June 2025). "UCI points update brings Women's WorldTour system in line with men's, designating women's Monuments and boosting Tour de France Femmes". Cyclingnews. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
- ↑ "Part II Road Races - Amendments to Regulations as from 20.10.2025" (PDF). Union Cycliste Internationale. 1 June 2025. p. 15. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
2.10.017 Points scale Women Elite
- ↑ Mitchell, Mathew (25 September 2025). "The UCI announces rider safety and health updates; extra changes to 2026 UCI road calendar -". Retrieved 14 October 2025.